Cherry Blossom Inspired Painting

With cherry blossoms in full bloom from mid March to Mid April, it inspired me to offer cherry blossom painting during this month's Art Masterpiece. The transcendent beauty of the cherry blossoms have inspired many artists, including Japanese artist Ohara Koson, who was famous for his flower and bird paintings.

Cherry Blossom by Allessanra

We painted our own cherry blossoms using a fun and creative technique using drinking straws. I'm all about using inexpensive or recycled materials, and everyday items found around our home. It doesn’t get any easier – painting using a drinking straw! 

Set out some straws (I had the bendy ones), sheets of block print paper, and some black tempera paint that is thinned out with water and pink tempera for the cherry blossoms. The paint needs to be thin (about the consistency of milk) so that it will move across the page when blown with the straw.

 

Video by victoriarestrepo.com

Drop a small amount of paint onto your paper, next position your straw close to the paint and blow. Move the straw upwards and outwards moving the paint into different directions to create tree branches.

Cherry Blossoms by Brooke

Cherry Blossoms by Annika

CHerry Blossoms by Sarah

Cherry Blossom by Yibo

It was a lot of fun watching students try to maneuver the paint. Some got the hang of it, while others couldn't quite figure out that they had to continuously blow through the straw while moving upwards to keep the paint moving.

Visiting Washington, DC during cherry blossom festival is something I highly recomend. How about you? Have you seen cherry blossoms in person?

DIY Mini Cupcake Stand

If you are Pinterest addict like me, you've probably seen a version of mini cupcake stands made from wooden candle sticks. I have been dying to make them, but did not want to spend the time or money to go look for the materials.

Lucky me, I happened to be at my favorite... Art Resource Center picking up supplies and stumbled upon wooden thread spools. I was tickled pink and new exactly what to do with them. So here you go....my version of a mini cupcake stand made from wooden spools.

To do this, you'll need to build the base with wooden spools and glue together with wood glue, wooden circles, or paper ornaments (I found these on clearance after Christmas). 

 

I made them to display our cupcakes for Easter. This project has been on my Pinterest board for a while, but now I can mark it as done! 

Do you have any Pinterest projects on your to do list?

Romare Bearden Inspired Sailboat Regatta

Students in Ms. Nafziger's class learned about Romare Bearden who was an artist who like to incorporate collage into his works.

Students created their own work of art by making a collage of a sailboat regatta. The collage was glued onto a large 22x28 canvas.The focus of the lesson was implied movement, texture and depth preception.

 

Romare Bearden was an African-American artist and writer. He worked in several media including cartoons, oils and collage.


How about you? Do you like any paper crafts or scrap booking?

Eric Carle Collages

Here are some examples of fabulous artwork from Mrs. Edinger's 3rd grade class. They created an under-the-sea themed fish painting. They learned to mix tints and shades by adding white and black to pure paint on to paper. Next they cut out shapes to make a collage.

Collage is a technique also used by Eric Carle in his popular children's books.

Eric Carle is an American designer, illustrator, and writer of children's books. To create his beautiful pictures he uses a collage technique, of hand-painted tissue papers, which he cuts and layers to form bright and colorful images. He is most famous for The Very Hungry Caterpillar.

 Children's Book Author Eric Carle

Wayne Thiebaud Cakes

Some of you know that I am an avid baker and cake decorator; so it's no surprise that I am drawn to Wayne Thiebaud's work and excited that he is the feature of this Art Masterpiece presentation.

After viewing a short video and looking at images of his artwork (while drooling of the real cupcakes I brought for props.), students sketched their images and used watercolor pencils onto watercolor paper.

Wayne Thiebaud is an American painter known for his colorful works depicting cakes, pies and other pastries.

They had freedom to sketch the cupcakes as is or add images of desserts you might find in a traditional diner.

 I love the shading on this one.

Every once in a while we get a student that likes to personalize their artwork (notice the picture within the picture)?

What about you? Do you like to bake, paint, or draw?

Esther Hörchner Designer Teapot and Tea Set

Some of you know I love collecting teacups and teapots. This set is on my wish list. It's a line called Take a Bath Teapot/Tea set by Designer: Esther Hörchner.

http://www.estherhorchner.nl

The white porcelain cups are illustrated on the inside, when filled with tea it looks like the girls are in their own hot tub!Doesn't it look as if she is taking a taking a bath in tea?!

http://www.estherhorchner.nl

You can "dress" the girls by placing the spoon in the cup. 

I just love how function meets design.

What about you? I'd love to hear what your favorite things are.

Faith Ringgold Inspired Story Quilts

Hello there. It's been a while since my last post.

I had gotten ill. Tried to plow through it, but eventually developed bronchitis, so I made an effort a few weeks before and during spring break to get more rest. We had a couple of cooking club friends over for dinner and other than taking kids to practice, we had a restful, but fun week.

Today was my first day back to a normal routine and first opportunity to look at new artwork out on display at our school. It was really great to see all the creativity hung up on the wall and our Art Masterpiece program thriving.

Check out how our art docent, Angela, in Mrs. Hoffman's first grade incorporated Common Core Standards and Faith Ringold's Story Quilts.

Students were asked to create an image depicting a special memory from their childhood onto canvas fabric squares, next they added water color, then oil pastels, followed by embellishments of glitter and sequins. To incorporate Common Core Standards they were asked to communicate in writing what their image was about.

As you can see there were many fun and interesting stories.

Me and mom were waking in the park and we saw flower and we saw ants ho ants I love ants.

Faith Ringgold is an African-American painter, writer, speaker, mixed media sculptor and performance artist, and is best known for er painted story quilt.

What have you been doing these past few weeks? I'd love to hear your what you have been up to.

ou know there is a meaningful movement afoot to create Common Core State Standards for the Arts; - See more at: http://blog.artsusa.org/2010/05/28/an-open-letter-to-pre-service-arts-educators/#more-5305

Common Core Arts Standards will provide a guideline for embedding consistent through lines in arts education, nationwide. - See more at: http://www.azarts.gov/news-resources/news/what-are-the-common-core-arts-standards/#sthash.PRctaut7.dpuf

Common Core Arts Standards will provide a guideline for embedding consistent through lines in arts education, nationwide. - See more at: http://www.azarts.gov/news-resources/news/what-are-the-common-core-arts-standards/#sthash.PRctaut7.dpuf

The Common Core Arts Standards will provide a guideline for embedding consistent through lines in arts education, nationwide - See more at: http://www.azarts.gov/news-resources/news/what-are-the-common-core-arts-standards/#sthash.PRctaut7.dpuf